She shook her head, speaking through her tears. "No he won't. He'll hound them until they turn on him. Then they will kill him." She pulled free of his arm and wiped her face with a sleeve. "I'm not sitting here waiting on him any longer.
Señor Medena's smile was sympathetic. "I do not blame you. Come with me and I will take you all to Tucson. My nephew has a hacienda there and he has offered his hospitality to us."
She shook her head. "No. I'm not going. Could you take the children and see that they get something to eat, a bath and a warm place to sleep?"
He stared at her. "You are not going?"
"No. Alex is out there somewhere. I'm going to find him."
"But he wouldn't want you to do that, Carmen. He sent Jose to make sure you were safe."
She looked at Jose. "He did that." She turned back to Señor Medena. "I hate to burden you with the children, but…."
"My grandchildren are not a burden," Señor Medena interrupted her in an injured tone. "I will do as you ask, and with pleasure. It is you I am concerned about. Alex would not be happy with me for leaving you here."
She sighed. "No, I suppose he wouldn't. I don't want to drag you into this, but I'm not going with you and that's final."
A slow smile came to his lips. "I suppose not." He nodded. "I will take care of the children, as you wish." He frowned. "But you need something to eat before you go out there."
That was a fact. She glanced at the lights of town. "I'll go down there and get something to eat, some water and another horse if I can find one. Then I'll go after him."
Jose had been listening to their exchange in silence, but he finally spoke.
"I will stay with her until she finds him."
Carmen caught her breath. "I can't ask you to do that. You've done enough. Thank you for all your help."
He shook his head. "I insist - unless you would feel uncomfortable with me."
Carmen smiled. "I think having someone along who knew the area would be most comforting."
He smiled at her and shifted his attention to Señor Medena. "I will see that she returns safely, sir."
"I'll go with you," Jonathan said.
Carmen shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I would rather you stayed with the children."
He nodded. "I'll take good care of them."
"I know you will. You've been so good all through this. I don't know what we would have done without you." She let her gaze fall on each of the children. "When we get back, we're going on a real vacation. We'll go to the Grand Canyon and Santa Fe before we go back to Arkansas."